Felicia Hemans

“ When a shout arose from the misty height
Where the mountain people stood.
And the mighty rocks came bounding down
Their startled foes among,
With a joyous whirl from the summit thrown—
Oh! the herdsman's arm is strong! ”

“ A numerous body of heavy cavalry, which, although the cumbersome weight of their armour was ill adapted for the services here required of them, was yet considered the flower of the Austrian army, led the van. Some days before the battle of Morgarten, fifty men, who, having rendered themselves obnoxious to the magistracy, had been banished from the Canton of Schwitz, came to the frontiers, and requested that they might be allowed to join the Swiss confederates posted on Mount Sattel, in the defence of their country. ”

“ The confederates on the mountain, perceiving the impression made by this attack, rushed down in close array, and fell upon the flank of the disordered column. With massy clubs they dashed in pieces the armour of the enemy, and dealt their blows and thrusts with long pikes. The narrowness of the defile admitted of no evolutions, and a slight frost having injured the road, the horses were impeded in all their motions; many leaped into the lake ”